Pheasant Sichuan with Chili Sauce

Delicious Sichuan Dish made with Pheasant

This pheasant with chili sauce is a adaptation of a traditional Sichuan stir fry. It is customary to prepare it with hot bean sauce, which gives the dish its heat. I made it with chili sauce, this way you are not hit with overwhelming blast of heat. I made the dish with pheasant that had been brined for one hour. It was amazingly tender and you would never know it was not pork. So if pheasant is not readily available to you can use pork or even chicken. Also, I used whatever peppers I had laying around for the dish, if you want the dish more colorful use green and red peppers as I have instructed in the recipe.

1/8 teaspoon ground Sichuan peppercorns (these give a distinct flavor to the dish, if you can't find them use dried chili peppers)

12 ounces pheasant or pork loin, cut into thin strips on the diagonal of the meat.

Sauce:

1/3 cup Chicken stock

1 tablespoon oyster sauce

2 teaspoons chili sauce

2 teaspoons light soy sauce

1 1/2 teaspoons white rice vinegar

1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch

4 tablespoons peanut oil

1 tablespoon peeled and minced ginger

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup of diced shallots

1 cup of julienned red bell peppers

1 cup of julienned green peppers

1/4 cup water chestnuts julienned

1 tablespoons minced garlic

1 1/2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine

To make the marinade: In a bowl mix together all the ingredients. Add the meat and turn to coat. Let rest for 30 minutes at room temperature.

To make the sauce: In a small bowl, mix together all of the ingredients and set aside.

Heat a wok over high heat for 30 seconds. Add 1 1/2 tablespoons oil and, using your spatula, coat the wok with the oil. When a wisp of white smoke appears, add the ginger and salt and stir. Add the shallots, stir, lower the heat to medium and stir fry until the shallots have softened. Raise the heat back up to high, add the red and green bell peppers, and stir to mix well. Add the water chestnuts, stir to mix, and stir fry for 1 minute. Turn the heat off transfer to a bowl and set aside.

Wipe the wok and spatula with a paper towel. Heat the wok over high heat for 20 seconds. Add the remaining 2 1/2 tablespoons oil, using the spatula, coat the wok with the oil. When a wisp of white smoke appears, add the garlic and stir fry briefly. Add the pork and its marinade and spread the pieces in a single layer. Cook for 1 minute, or until the strips turn white along the edges. Turn the pork over and mix well.

Drizzle in the wine, adding it along the edge of the wok, and mi well. The wine will create steam and the meat will cook immediately. Add the reserved vegetables, stir to mix well, and cook for 1 minute. Make a well in the center of the mixture, stir the sauce, and pour it into the well. Stir to mix well for about 1 1/2 minutes, or until the sauce thickens and bubbles.